The Wishing Star
by DinKeY
Summary: Pippin makes a wish....*slash*


The Wishing Star   
  


Sunlight filtered softly through the tangled branches of two blooming cherry blossom trees, their small bundles of vivid pink and white shivering in the gentle breeze, releasing tiny flowers now and again, letting them float lazily down onto the shapes nestled on the grass beneath. It was Springtime, and no other time of year was quite like it in the Shire.   
  


"Merry?"   
  


"Hm mm?"   
  


"I do think I should like to die."   
  


"What?" Merry let his eyelids flutter open against the almost blinding sunlight.   
  


"Or maybe I'm already dead . . . " Pippin sat up and gazed over the landscape which lay before them. Endless fields of pure, luscious green, scattered with blossoming trees of every sort, in every colour of the rainbow. The sky was pure blue, like Frodo's eyes in Summer, or maybe it was like one of Rosie's party dresses, with white ribbons threaded throughout. Then, in the center of a nearby field, that stood below the bank on which they sat, was a glistening aquamarine lake. To Pippin, it looked like a thousand tiny blue jewels all sewn together perfectly, then lain flat across the ground with a tiny sprinkling of silver glitter on top. He sighed happily.   
  


"Pip, what an earth are you babbling about?" Merry rolled sideways and propped himself up on his elbow. Carelessly, he pulled a blade of grass from the ground and began running it up and down Pippin's thigh. Pippin bent his head slightly and smiled down at him.   
  


"Well, my dear, sweet Merry. This day is so perfect, if I were to die, I would like to die right here and now, with you by my side. But then, perhaps I already am dead, and this is heaven."   
  


"Pip, you really do talk such nonsense sometimes. You wouldn't want to die, you'd miss my apple tarts too much."   
  


Pippin laughed and made a grab for Merry's blade of grass. He missed and Merry lay back on the ground, smiling and staring thoughtfully at the sky.   
  


"You know what Pip? I think you're right, and we are in heaven."   
  


"Why do you say that love?" Pippin lay back down, letting his arm fall across Merry's chest lovingly.   
  


"Because I could never imagine anything more perfect than having you by my side. I think even if it were dark and cold, and the sun didn't shine for a hundred days, it would be Heaven, so long as you were with me."   
  


"Would there be apple tarts?"   
  


Merry thumped Pippin hard in the side and Pippin let out a yelp.   
  


There was silence. Merry had closed his eyes and was enjoying the warmth of the sun on his face, not to mention the warmth of Pippin's breath against his cheek.   
  


Pippin smiled contentedly for a time, while gazing at Merry, then let his eyes wander across the grass which surrounded them.   
  


"Oh! Merry look!" Pippin burst out and scrambled onto his knees before flinging himself across Merry's chest. Merry had to stop himself from yelling at the pain caused by Pippin's elbows digging into him so hard.   
  


Merry panted as Pippin leaned down harder onto his chest. "What's that, Pip?"   
  


Pippin pulled a strange looking plant from the ground and held it up to his face. "This, Merry, is a Wishing Star." Pippin grinned happily. "Sam taught me all about them. He said they only grow where the soil is perfect. So we *must* be in Heaven!"   
  


Merry watched his cousin inspect the small, round white ball. It didn't look very spectacular. It was actually a little ugly.   
  


"What shall I wish for Merry? Plums? Ale? Maybe a giant Apple Tart with cream, and jam all to myself?"   
  


Pippin climbed off Merry's body and sat back against one of the blossom trees, his legs folded. Merry grunted and rubbed the spots where Pippin's elbows had dug into him, then reached down by his side and picked another blade of grass.   
  


Pippin stared earnestly at the funny looking white thing, then shouted, "I've got it!" With that, he held the bright green stalk up and blew on the wishing star with all the breath he had and sent its tiny white petals adrift. Pippin watched as some of the petals sailed away in front of the two hobbits, carrying his wish down the bank and across the shimmering waters of the lake. Other petals floated aimlessly with the breeze above the lovers' heads. Merry watched as some were caught in the thick Cherry blossoms, while the rest floated above the trees and beyond.   
  


One petal landed on Merry's nose; he smiled and brushed it off. "What did you wish for?"   
  


Pippin drew his attention away from the petals which were now disappearing from view. "If I told you, it wouldn't come true." Pippin grinned cheekily and plucked the new piece of grass from Merry's hand and stuck it in his mouth.   
  


"I hope you wished for an apple tart. All this talk of food has made me hungry."   
  


Pippin lay down once more, nuzzling into Merry's neck. He felt Merry's arm wrap tightly around him, and he snuggled closer. Pippin raised his head slightly, and found himself engulfed in a warm, deep kiss. He pulled away so he rested just a little way from Merry's mouth and whispered, "Do you really want to know what I wished for Merry?"   
  


Merry smiled and leaned forward, rubbing his nose against Pippin's, then answered, "Yes."   
  


Pippin grinned, and let his hand find Merry's, then let their fingers entwine. Then he spoke, "I wished that we would never run out of apple tarts, and that we would live together forever, and be happy until the end of our days."   
  


And so, they did.   
  


Fin.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
